Black and Blue Encampment Oct. 13

The fifth annual Black and Blue Civil War Living History Encampment will take place on Saturday, October 13, at Historic Jefferson College. Reenactors tell the story of the African American experience during the Civil War in Adams County. This year’s keynote presentation at 1 p.m. commemorates enslaved and non-enslaved black women who served as freedom-fighting nurses for the Union and six runaway enslaved Adams County men who joined the Union Navy in 1862.

“We are pleased to provide a venue for this important historical living history event,” said Historic Jefferson College director Robin Person. “Too often the lives of African American participants in the Civil War have been overlooked in favor of battle histories and general politics. Black and Blue gives a voice to some of the unsung heroes of this time.”

Senegalese musician Morikeba Kouyate will kick off the program at 11 a.m. with a discussion of the African roots of the banjo, violin, and guitar in American music and a performance with the kora, a twenty-one-string African instrument. At 3 p.m. actor and living history interpreter Melissa Waddy-Thibodeaux will portray abolitionist and humanitarian Harriet Tubman.

The living history event will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. A soldiers camp for children will begin at 10:30 a.m., and a games activity camp will begin at noon and run throughout the remainder of the program. There is no charge for any of the events. The Black and Blue Civil War Living History Encampment is sponsored by MDAH and the Friends of Forks of the Roads Society, Inc. For more information contact Ser Boxley at 601-442-4719 or email forksyaroads@aol.com.